Passive Immunization to prevent Bird flu infection

Fears of Bird flu pandemic is on the rise as there are new reports from Turkey which has shown mutation in the Haemagglutinin antigen fragment of the bird flu virus and there are several reports showing resistance to antiflu drugs shown by these viruses. Scientists are working out plans of Passive Immunization, in which the antibodies is collected from the blood of the infected bird flu patient, the antibody is produced in these patients as an immune response against the virus infection. This antibodies from bird flu recovered patients are good source of immune response when these pooled antiserum is injected to people they will develop immunity immediately if they come across a bird flu virus due to the presence of antibodies passively in the body which counteracts and kills the bird flu antigen instantly.

This strategy of passive immunity will help patients to counteract disease sometime by the time the active immunity will be given in the form of vaccine to the patients which help to produce more antibody against the virus.

The Project is being examined by the Department of Health in Scotland and House of Lords Science and Technology Committee by which the pool of antiserum will be collected from bird flu recovered patients from countries the virus as infected. But the effect of passive immunization would not be effective if the pandemic virus becomes highly mutated.